Killing Joke is an English post-punk group which formed in October 1978 in … Read Full Bio ↴Killing Joke is an English post-punk group which formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England. Founding members Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards) and Geordie Walker (guitars) have been the only constant members, with Geordie having died on the 26th of November 2023 in Prague following a stroke 2 days earlier.

A key influence on industrial rock, their early music was described by critics Stephen Thomas Erlewine and John Dougan as well as industrial metal and "quasi-metal, dancing to a tune of doom and gloom," which gradually evolved over the years, incorporating elements of electronic music, synth-pop, gothic rock, and alternative rock, though always emphasizing Coleman's "savagely strident vocals."

Finding modest commercial success, Killing Joke have influenced many later bands, such as Nirvana, Ministry, Amen, Lamb of God, Nine Inch Nails, Napalm Death, Amebix, Big Black, Godflesh, Tool, Prong, Metallica, Primus, Jane's Addiction, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Faith No More, Blacklist, Shihad and Korn, all of whom have at some point cited some debt of gratitude to Killing Joke.

Harlequin
Killing Joke Lyrics

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I am a child of folly
Now I want my way
And I don't know good or bad
But I dance all day
And my sense of humour
Getting out of hand la-la
And the diamond's sharp you know
All the harlequins they go go

Such a lovely colour
So the nasty taste won't show
And when I'm seeing bitter
Then the carnal feelings go
So if you guess my next move
Then that's more than me
So when I start to smile
Then the harlequins will go go
I am a child of folly
Now I want some fun
So I don't need good or bad
And we've just begun
So if you guess our next move
Let your sense of humour show

And the diamonds are forever
All the harlequins will go go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Killing Joke’s song “Harlequin” are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation, but they seem to paint a picture of a reckless and pleasure-seeking individual who is unbound by notions of right and wrong. The lyrics suggest a sense of abandonment to frivolous pursuits, as the singer declares, “Now I want my way, and I don’t know good or bad, but I dance all day”. The sense of abandon is further augmented by the line, “And my sense of humor, getting out of hand la-la”, which indicates a loss of control.

The diamond mentioned seems to be a reference to cocaine, as evidenced by the line “So the nasty taste won’t show, and when I’m seeing bitter, then the carnal feelings go”, which fits with the stimulant properties of the drug. The harlequins mentioned in the chorus appear to be symbolic of the singer’s reckless behavior, as their go-go dancing is referenced to denote his capriciousness. The lyrics seem to suggest that the singer is living in the moment and not concerned with the future, as evidenced by lines like “And we’ve just begun” and “And the diamonds are forever”.

Overall, the lyrics to “Harlequin” paint a dark and somewhat nihilistic picture of a life lived without restraint, with a focus on immediate pleasure and sensation-seeking.

Line by Line Meaning

I am a child of folly
I am immature and foolish

Now I want my way
I want things to go my way

And I don't know good or bad
I am unsure of what is right or wrong

But I dance all day
I am carefree and enjoy dancing

And my sense of humour
I have a sense of humor

Getting out of hand la-la
My humor is becoming excessive

And the diamond's sharp you know
Diamonds are sharp and dangerous

All the harlequins they go go
All the jesters dance

Such a lovely colour
It has an attractive appearance

So the nasty taste won't show
Its bitter taste is concealed

And when I'm seeing bitter
When I am feeling bitter

Then the carnal feelings go
My baser desires are suppressed

So if you guess my next move
If you can predict my actions

Then that's more than me
You know more than I do

So when I start to smile
When I begin to feel happy

Then the harlequins will go go
The jesters will dance

Now I want some fun
I want to have a good time

And we've just begun
Our fun has only just started

So if you guess our next move
If you can predict what we will do

Let your sense of humour show
Use your sense of humor

And the diamonds are forever
Diamonds are indestructible

All the harlequins will go go
All the jesters will dance

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEREMY COLEMAN, PAUL FERGUSON, PAUL VINCENT RAVEN, KEVIN WALKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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